The humble chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans. They are called hummus in Arabic and channa in the Indian language. So, now you know that the famous channa masala means chickpea curry. Channa is chickpeas, and masala is curry. If you’ve eaten channa masala in an Indian restaurant, then you know it’s a wonderful combination of sweet, spicy, and tangy in a rich, deep orange sauce. And unlike my other Indian recipes, where I try to make it as simple and easy as possible using easy-to-find ingredients, I’ve tried to bring you a little more authenticity in this recipe.
Why make this channa masala?
It’s authentic and delicious. While these are easy-to-find ingredients, they are best used without substitutes. For example, you can use paprika powder, but to keep this authentic, I have used the dry rehydrated paprika, which gives a deep, wonderful color and flavor. And the dates add a touch of sweetness, while the tamarind gives that distinct tang you don’t get from vinegar or lemon juice. The recipe is fairly simple, you don’t need to chop many veggies because you just blend them in a food processor. The cooking itself takes 15 minutes because we use pre-cooked chickpeas or canned chickpeas. It’s also versatile. Channa means ‘chickpeas’ in India, so this is a chickpea curry, but, of course, you can use other beans and make a bean curry instead, using this recipe. Today, I have served it over my flavorful coconut turmeric rice. But it is also absolutely delicious with fresh roti, chapati, or even plain steamed rice.
Ingredients and substitutes
Chickpeas – We need precooked chickpeas. I am using ones that have been homemade-soaked and then boiled. But you can also use 2 x 15 oz of canned chickpeas. Paprika – I love using dried, rehydrated paprika, but you can certainly use paprika powder. You can also use all sweet paprika or more hot paprika if you prefer. Coconut milk – This is coconut milk, not cream. And if you have to use cream – use just 1/4 cup cream with 1/4 cup water or it will be too rich. Tomato paste – I love the color and richness that the paste adds without all the skin and tomato juice. But you can certainly use 1 cup of finely chopped tomatoes. Make sure to saute it until the tomatoes are cooked thoroughly. Date – I’ve used a large Medjool date, but you can use any dates. About 2 tbsp finely chopped should be good. Tamarind paste – Very commonly used in Asian or Indian cooking. And if you don’t have tamarind, use 1 tsp of vinegar or 1 tbsp of lemon juice.
Step-by-step instructions
Masala paste
Dehydrated paprika – Soak the sweet and hot paprika in a bowl with hot water for 10 minutes. Then, remove and discard the seeds.Pro tip – If you like it spicy, you can keep the seeds. Use gloves when working with paprika or chilies to prevent hot fingers. In a food processor or blender – blend the onion, garlic, ginger, and both the soaked paprika using some of the coconut milk or water to help blend the paste. Then, add the powders – coriander, cumin, garam masala, and turmeric – blend to a smooth paste. Set aside.
Saute the channa masala
In a heavy-bottom saute pan or cast-iron skillet, saute the prepared paste in cooking oil until fragrant. Then, add the remaining coconut milk and cook for 2 minutes more.Pro tip – Keep the heat medium to low to prevent the spices from burning. Add a little water if necessary, but cook until you get a nice aroma from the spices. Next, add the bay leaves, curry powder, and tomato paste and bring it to a boil. Then, add the chopped date and tamarind paste – saute for 2 minutes, mashing the date so it almost disappears into the thick sauce.Pro tip – If you find the dates and tamarind you have a bit dry, soak them in some hot water to soften them before adding them to the sauce. This will help them blend easily.
Finally, add the cooked chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and let cook on medium-low for 10 minutes.Pro tip – The chickpeas are already cooked, but we want them to soak up some of the sauce. So, cook for at least 10 minutes. If necessary, add a little water to prevent it from burning at the bottom. Taste and adjust seasoning and consistency. Add water for more gravy and cook a little more to evaporate excess moisture.Pro tip – Gravy is great if you are serving this over rice. I like it thicker in consistency when serving with Indian bread such as naan, chapati, or roti. Lastly, garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
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